Plea made in fatal Milton crash

Milton man admits to vehicular manslaughter in death of 14-year-old

Updated 8:44 am, Thursday, December 6, 2012

Facebook photo of Gavin Staulters in his Air Force uniform. (Facebook/ Times Union archive))

Facebook photo of Gavin Staulters in his Air Force uniform....

A friend's photo of 14-year-old Kari Liedel, who was killed in July after she was struck by a drunken driver while walking down West Milton Road. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union archive)

A friend's photo of 14-year-old Kari Liedel, who was killed in July...

A picture of Kari Liedel at her roadside memorial in Milton. Liedel, 14, was killed in July 2012 by a drunken driver. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union archive)

A picture of Kari Liedel at her roadside memorial in Milton....

A neighbor posted a sign on Sunday, July 8, 2012, near the scene on West Milton Road where 14-year-old Kari Liedel was killed after she was struck by a drunken driver while walking down the road. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union archive)

A neighbor posted a sign on Sunday, July 8, 2012, near the scene on...

Facebook photo of Gavin Staulters, who Saratoga County Sheriff deputies say drove drunk and killed a 14-year-old girl in Milton July 8, 2012. The photo shows Staulters, of Ballston Spa, in his Air Force uniform. (Facebook)

BALLSTON SPA — A Milton man faces up to seven years behind bars for driving drunk and causing an accident over the summer that killed a 14-year-old pedestrian a month before she was to start high school, according to Saratoga County District Attorney James A. Murphy III.

Murphy said in a statement that Gavin Staulters, 22, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Saratoga County Court to second-degree vehicular manslaughter, a felony.

In July, Staulters was southbound on West Milton Road in Milton when he veered onto the shoulder of the road and struck Kari Liedel, narrowly missing her friend, Murphy said.

"While we can never fill the void in her parents' hearts, we are satisfied that the defendant admitted he drove drunk and killed her, and that he will have a felony record and go to state prison," Murphy said.

Defense attorney Frederick Rench of Clifton Park said Wednesday that his client is contrite and didn't want to put the Liedel family through a criminal trial.

"He became very remorseful while entering the plea," said Rench, noting that Staulters was not indicted and had no criminal record. He said he will ask Judge Jerry Scarano for leniency at Staulters' Jan. 30 sentencing.

Under the plea deal, Staulters could either receive 2 to 6 years or 11/3 to 7 years if he allows Scarano to determine his penalty.

Once he is released from prison, Staulters will have to install an ignition interlock device on any vehicle he drives.